Happy Sunday! I finally picked up Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls, and I’m completely captivated — it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. Have you ever wanted to both devour a book straight through and also stretch it out so it won’t end too quickly?
One detail that jumped out at me was the name of the main character: Harper. A man named Harper feels plausible for someone born in the 1910s, though since Harper is the villain there’s little chance it will spark a revival of the name for boys. Other names of the Shining Girls include Alice, Catherine, Jin-Sook, Kirby, Margot, Willie, Zora — quite a varied list.
Speaking of lists:
- Names spotted in the latest J. Crew catalog for special occasion dresses include Misha, Raquel, Sara, Megan, Suzy, Arabelle, Marlowe, Cameron, Kami, Mandy. Some read like the names of the women wearing them, while others feel like classic names parents might give daughters.
- Also in the May 2014 J. Crew catalog: a Mother’s Day feature highlighting Atlanta stylist Ann Mashburn and her five daughters — Elizabeth, Louisa, Daisy, Harriet, Pauline. The names feel unexpectedly Southern-prep. Other mother-and-child pairs in the piece include Mei with son Dashiel and Mara with son Joaquin, offering plenty of style inspiration.
- On the lighter side: a chocolatier reportedly refused to write the name Rooney on an edible Easter egg for fear of potential trademark issues involving footballer Wayne Rooney — a quirky reminder of how branding can pop up in unexpected places.
- I’m addicted to DesignMom’s Living with Kids tours. A recent house tour featured names to match the interiors: Emilia and Lucien Michel are lovely choices that fit the aesthetic perfectly.
- Congratulations to Nomes e mais nomes on five years — that’s worth celebrating.
- Compound names like Hannelore are reportedly out of fashion in Germany; an anecdote about an Annegret who dislikes her dated name reinforces that trend. I find Annegret charming, but fashions vary by culture.
- A cheerful birth announcement for Lorelai Victoria Sunflower made my day — a whimsical, joyful combination.
- Nameberry’s list of “One Hit Wonders” is fascinating. I’d love to see comebacks for names like Evander, Calhoun, Luc, Djuna, Beatrix and others that once shone briefly.
- What would you name triplet girls? It seems easy until you try to pick a third name that pairs perfectly with two you already love. I relate to a mom who struggled to find a third name to match her pair — it’s a real challenge to balance style, rhythm, and individuality.
- For families seeking a rustic or Western vibe, there are plenty of inventive first-and-middle name combos that lean into cowboy and prairie influences — fun inspiration for a fifth baby or any new arrival.
- A quick look back: past featured names included Cynthia (2009), Dawson (2010), Crispin (2011), a roundup of zippy Z names for girls (2012), and Macon and Marigot as place-inspired names (2013).
- My daughter and I are watching Mulan for the first time — and it got me thinking about how influential Disney princess names really are on naming trends.
- I enjoyed a Harper’s Bazaar roundup of fashionable baby names. While I’d pass on names like Gucci, I like many others on the list such as Elettra, Oribe, Magnus, Noor, Simone, Zac, Zosia. My favorites shift each time I revisit the list.
- Have you noticed headlines claiming medieval names are back in vogue? A short analysis from a medievalist gives perspective on why older name forms sometimes return to fashion.
That’s it for this week. Thank you so much for reading — wishing you a fabulous week ahead!